A Picture Paints A Thousand Words
by eleanorca
Summary: Missing scene from 13x24 "Family First." My explanation for some of the ambiguity. Very Tiva. More info inside.
**This is set between the scene where Trent Kort is killed and the scene where Tony visits Gibbs in his basement.**

 **Rambling:**

 **So I used to have an account on here and wrote Tiva stories. But that feels like a lifetime ago. I haven't written in years, but the finale yesterday broke my heart and I couldn't resist. I don't for a second believe that Ziva is actually dead. There were way too many plot holes. Like no remains being found, Tali (who, according to timeline, isn't even 2) sleeping on the other side of the house from Ziva in a closed off hallway, Ziva love(s) Paris. Not love(d). "You gotta believe what you gotta believe". Tony taking Tali to Israel to find 'answers'. The way Tony says "Evidently WE have a daughter" You get the point.**

 **I didn't want to believe that Ziva was dead and throughout the whole episode I was in denial. My heart hurt and I was so sad because that character, this couple, had gotten me through tough times. I so badly wanted them to have a happy ending. But then that interview with GG came out and I started to think maybe my denial wasn't completely insane. He said they chose the lines and how to say them very carefully and to go back and** **re-watch and listen carefully. "You gotta believe what you gotta believe". Well, this is what I believe.**

 **Anyways, sorry but I had to get that off my chest. But that's what this story is based off of, because I was a mess and had to write my thoughts down before they overtook my brain.**

* * *

Tony stood in his kitchen after what felt like the longest day of his life. Waking up and realizing that yesterday had in fact not been a dream, was hard. Ziva was dead and Tali was their daughter. Despite the circumstances, Tony's heart was overwhelmed by the feelings of love and protection he felt for his daughter.

 _Their_ daughter.

When he first saw Tali, he couldn't believe it. Surely Ziva would have told him. She wanted a family more than anything, and Tony thought he had made it very clear to her almost 3 years ago that he wanted the same. He wanted a family _with_ her. Tony wasn't sure he believed Orli's excuse about why Ziva didn't tell him. She had to have known that if she had told him she was pregnant, he would have been there in a second.

 _I guess I'll never know,_ Tony thought, bringing his conflicting emotions of anger, sadness, and regret to the surface. He wanted nothing more than to go back in time to that summer when he found her in the farmhouse. This time he would have kept in contact with her after he left. Or better yet, he would have refused to leave in the first place. He would have been by her side throughout every second of the pregnancy. He would have been there to hold her hand while she gave birth. The thought of Ziva going through the process of labor and delivery on her own, without _him,_ made his stomach churn.

A giggle from the living room brought Tony back to the present. Senior had taken Tali to play while Tony cleaned up from dinner. Hearing her little laugh made his heart tighten for a minute. Suddenly his life was changed, _her_ life was changed. Trent Kort was dead, and now there was nothing else to do but move on. Yes, he was heart-broken, more than anything. But now there was someone else in the picture he had to take care of as well. And he couldn't let her down. He couldn't let Ziva down. He was going to raise their beautiful little girl in a way he knew Ziva would be proud of.

Setting the dish rag on the counter, Tony made his way back into the living room. He saw Tali sitting on the couch, tightly clutching Calev to her chest and watching Senior as he told her a story. Tali's eyes were slowly drooping as she let out a yawn.

"I think that's my cue to leave," Senior said, getting up. "Goodnight Tali." Senior stopped to place a hand on Tony's shoulder. "If you need me, call me. Otherwise I'll see you in the morning son."

"Thanks Dad," Tony told him honestly. And with a smile, Senior was out the door. Leaving the father-daughter duo alone for the night.

"Ok Tali, I think it's bedtime." Tony looked at her and found her staring back up at him.

"No!" she piped up, giving him a smirk that was unmistakably Ziva. Of course she would inherit her stubbornness.

"Oh yes." He picked her up off the couch and she laid her head on his chest. "It's been a long day and you need to sleep. We both need to sleep." He walked her into his bedroom and set her on the bed. "Now you stay right there while I go get your pajamas, ok?"

Tali responded with a nod and a smile.

As Tony walked back into the living room to grab Tali's bag, he couldn't help but glance at the framed picture of him and Ziva in Paris that Senior had found. Something about it didn't sit right with him. It hadn't from the moment he saw it. Why would Ziva keep that picture in the bag? It didn't make sense. Tony had a fleeting moment of hope before he came to his senses. _No_ , he thought, _it's not possible. She's gone and I have to be here for Tali._

With one last look at the picture, he walked back into his bedroom, finding Tali asleep on his bed. Praying she didn't react the same way as Ziva when woken up, Tony carefully sat down on the bed beside her and shook her awake. "Come on Tali. Just let me put your pajamas on and then you can go back to sleep, ok?" From the reaction he got, Tony could tell that Tali definitely had more DiNozzo in her when it came to sleeping. She grunted and turned her head away from him, burying her face into the mattress. Tony allowed himself a short chuckle as he pictured a frustrated Ziva trying to deal with Tali's sleeping patterns. She probably cursed his name more than once for passing on those specific genes to their daughter. Not that he could help it. But the thought of her made him smile, and boy did he miss her.

"Please Tali?" Still no reaction. "I'll buy you a cookie tomorrow if you let me."

Yep, that worked. The way to a DiNozzo's heart truly was through their stomach. Tali turned over and reached her arms out to Tony. He quickly changed her clothes before laying her back down on the bed, this time under the covers. He got up and bent down to press a kiss to her head. "Goodnight Tali, I love you." He stood up and thought about what he just said. That was the first time he had told Tali that he loved her. He didn't want to one-day regret not telling Tali how much she meant to him. He already had that regret with Ziva. So he leaned back down to kiss her again. "Abba loves you, Tali," he said, tear threating to spill from his eyes.

"Abba," Tali mumbled in her sleep, making the sides of Tony's mouth turn upwards. While he still wasn't on good terms with the fact that Ziva didn't tell him about her, he was glad that she taught Tali about him. To what extent, he couldn't know. But he was happy she knew who he was.

After standing beside the bed for a few more minutes to make sure Tali was sleeping, Tony walked back into the living room to clear off the couch for him to sleep. He was going to need to find a new place to live. One that accommodated both him _and_ Tali. But those thoughts could wait until tomorrow. Right now he needed to sleep.

* * *

Tony awoke with a start; the dream he was having caused his heart to beat rapidly. He sat up on the couch, running his fingers through his hair and down his face as he tried to remember what it was about his dream that affected him so much.

His dream was set in the future, a few years from now. Tali had gone to her first day of school and Tony had her all dressed up to take pictures. He was putting her 'first day of school picture' in a frame to place it on the counter next to the picture of him and Ziva in Paris. As he put it down, he accidently knocked over the picture of them, effectively sending it to the floor with a crash. He cursed and bent down to pick it up, careful of the glass. As he picked up the picture, he noticed a folded piece of paper had been stuck between the picture and the back of the frame. _Why did I never think of his,_ he thought, rushing to open the note.

But that was as far as his dream had taken him. Eyes widening, Tony looked at the picture on the coffee table in front of him and braced himself for what he was or was not about to find. Carefully picking it up, he undid the clasps on the back of the frame. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he opened it. He gave himself a few seconds to gather his thoughts before he finally opened his eyes and forced himself to look down at the frame in his lap.

"Oh my God," Tony breathed. Sitting before him was a folded piece of paper, almost identical to the one in his dream. Trying not to let his mind go _there_ , he started to open the note. His heart was beating so fast he could hardly hear himself think.

He recognized the handwriting right away. Tony blinked back tears as he started to read.

 _Tony,_

 _First of all, I would like to apologize. I am so very sorry that I did not tell you about Tali sooner. I knew I should have told you the second I found out I was pregnant, but I was scared. Terrified, even. I know that's no excuse for my behavior but I am sorry. I hope one day you can forgive me._

 _I know right now you must be feeling a wide range of emotions because as I write this, my mind is going in circles. I miss you. I miss that we never got the chance to be a family from the start. If I could take it back, I would._

 _But now is not the time for regrets. It's time to move on._

 _Together._

Tony's brow furrowed as he tried to make sense of what he was reading.

 _I know what you think Tony, but I can promise you one thing. I am alive. I sent Tali to you to ensure her safety, when I was unsure of my own. I know you have many questions, but I need you to do something for me._

"Anything," Tony whispered to her.

 _I cannot give you all the information you need in this letter, but I can tell you where to find it. I need you to take Tali back to Israel. Orli will have the answers you need. The ones I cannot currently give. She will know if it is safe for you and Tali to join me. And Tony, I pray that it is. I'm watching Tali sleep as I write this, but I already miss her. By the way, our daughter inherited your stubbornness, so thanks for that._

Tony laughed as he heard the sarcasm in her voice.

 _Please take good care of her until I can kiss her face again. I have no doubt that you will. From the pictures I've shown her, she already loves her Abba._

 _Once we are reunited, maybe we can work things out and finally become the family I've dreamed of. Maybe we can start our life together in Paris. I love Paris._

 _I know there are things we need to talk about and sort through, but I want you to know that I'm ready and willing to put away my pride for you. For Tali. For us. Because I want this, more than anything._

 _Please give Tali a kiss for me and tell her that Ima loves her. And I love you, Tony. I'm sorry I didn't say it sooner. But I do._

 _I can't wait to see you two again._

 _I love you,_

 _Ziva._

Tony took a deep breath as he looked up from the letter. He hadn't even noticed the tears streaming down his face. He wasn't entirely sure what to think of this but he knew one thing, he had to get to Israel. He needed to find Orli and talk to her, though she is probably already expecting him.

Looking at his phone, he saw it was 04:38. He probably could sleep a few more hours, but after what he just read, he knew he wouldn't be able to. He had some decisions to make. He couldn't stay. He was going to find Ziva and they were going to be a family.

He picked up his phone to call Senior back over to stay with Tali while he went to talk to Gibbs. He needed to do this now before he lost it.

After confirming with Senior, Tony walked back into his room to watch Tali sleep. He wasn't religious, but he found himself praying to God that Ziva was safe. He needed her, but even more, this little girl needed her mother.

He smiled as he watched her. He couldn't wait to see Ziva so they could _finally_ be together. All three of them. Their little family. The most precious thing in his world.


End file.
